The Tickle v Giggle case identified a problem with current Commonwealth law, due to changes made by the former Gillard Government.  The law does not properly protect single-sex spaces for women and girls. Most Australians would find that hard to believe.

(Pictured: from left - Alison Penfold MP, Sal Grover, Senator Claire Chandler, Dr Anne Webster MP on the Monday Ms Penfold introduced her Bil to reform the Sex Discrimination Act)

The Coalition’s position is clear. Women and girls deserve safe, private single-sex spaces and legal protections based on biological sex. We cannot have people taking advantage of inclusive measures to inflict harm on women and girls.

On Monday 25 May, my Nationals colleague Alison Penfold MP introduced a Bill to the House of Representatives to restore clear definitions of “man” and “woman” in the Sex Discrimination Act, following similar work undertaken in the Senate with Senator the Hon. Matt Canavan, Leader of The Nationals.

The recent Federal Court decision found that under the current Sex Discrimination Act, “sex” is not confined to biological sex. The Coalition does not believe this reflects community expectations or common sense.

The Coalition’s position is clear: women and girls deserve safe, private spaces based on biological sex. Angus Taylor, the Leader of the Opposition, has made clear that a Coalition Government will fix the law.

A Coalition Government will amend the Sex Discrimination Act to ensure that women and girls have legal protections based on biological sex. This is not radical. It is common sense.

Ms Penfold’s Bill is not about removing protections from transgender Australians or treating anyone with disrespect. Existing protections against discrimination would remain. You can read more about that here and view the speech she delivered in parliament here.

Biological women and girls deserve clear protections under federal law.

Mr Taylor has confirmed that this will be a first-term priority of a Coalition Government.

The Prime Minister now faces a simple question: does he believe women and girls deserve legal protections based on biological sex, or not?

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